Collapsible derrick for drilling



Dec. 17, E T. D. MANIU COLLAPSIBLE DERRICK FOR DRILLING Filed Sept. 10,1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l [IA-1T I Fig. I

lnvenfor: Tgber lu DimiTrie MANIU I" m 0. m; I

his Afforney Dec. 17, 1968 T. D. MANIU COLLAPSIBLE DERRICK FOR DRILLING2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 10, 1965 Fig.4

Invenior: Tberiu DimiTrie ufm. 0.

his Aflomey United States Patent 3,416,267 COLLAPSIBLE DERRICK FORDRILLING Tiberiu Dimitrie Maniu, Bucharest, Rumania, assignor toMinisterul Petrolului, Bucharest, Rumania Filed Sept. 10, 1965, Ser. No.486,361 Claims priority, application Rumania, Sept. 21, 1964, 48,554 3Claims. (Cl. 52-121) The present invention relates to a collapsiblederrick that can be used for drilling medium and deep wells, and whichcan be raised and lowered by means of some joints placed intermediatethe ends of derrick columns, the derrick having a vertical plane ofsymmetry which remains unchanged during the raising and loweringoperations.

It is known to raise a drilling derrick by folding the columns by meansof some joints placed about half way up the columns. Each column has ashape similar to an inverted Y, in order to obtain a greater supportingarea.

The upper end joint of each column is realized directly by a pin onwhich the crown block sheaves are placed. The derrick raising andlowering is achieved by means of rigid raising legs placed outside thecolumn frame.

Since the crown block sheaves are placed on the upper ends of thecolumns, in case damages occur to crown block sheaves (failures,bearings gripping, etc), it is necessary to lower and dismantle thederrick for replacing the faulty elements.

In addition, and due to this type of construction, the crown blocksheave position is perpendicular to the drawwork axis. This arrangementleads to difficulties in connection with the drilling line, whichrequires the use of one or more guiding rollers.

The use of raising legs placed outside the derrick frame presents thedisadvantage that when the derrick is lowered, the upper end of theraising leg, which makes with the horizontal an angle greater than 90,needs supplementary devices to counteract, by counterpushing, the thrustcaused by the derrick and raising leg weight.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide astructure which will avoid the above drawbacks.

The present invention avoids these shortcomings by the fact that thederrick columns, at their upper ends, are joined together by anindependent element, namely a crown block water table, the derrickcolumns being connected by pivoted joints to this end, between thesejoints, a movement equalizing device constituted from an even member ofgears is provided.

Any type of crown block can be mounted on this crown block water table,in such a position that the sheave axis is parallel with the drawworksdrum axis.

For derrick raising and lowering operations, a set of blocks of a cableand pulley system is placed inside the derrick frame, or an extensiblehydraulic jacks system is used. The raising or lowering, kicking orinitial movement is realized by means of auxiliary hydraulic jacks,synchronized with main extensible jacks and placed near theapproximately half height pivot points or on an assembling trestle.

The invention is illustrated by way of example, in connection with theFIGURES 1-5 in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a collapsible derrick;

FIG. 2 is a side view of a collapsible derrick;

FIG. 3 is a front view of a collapsible derrick during the raisingoperation, by means of a block system; and

'ice

FIG. 4 is a front view of a collapsible derrick during the raisingoperation, by means of a hydraulic jacks system.

The derrick, according to invention, is constituted of two identical andsymmetrically arranged columns, each column 1 being constituted of twomain elements: a lower element 2 and an upper element 3.

The lower elements 2 are split in two symmetrical branches a and b, eachconnected by a common section c.

These elements can be manufactured from one or more sections.

The elements 2, at their lower ends, are each provided with a pivotjoint 4 which is seated, by means of a centering and height adjustingdevice 5, on a base 6, which on its turn can be placed upon a foundationor substructure section.

The upper elements 3 are constituted of many sections, rigidly assembledtogether, and are joined to the elements 2, at their upper ends,respectively, by means of the pivot or hinge joint 7 and automaticlocking devices 8.

Between the derrick column elements 2 and 3, near the automatic lockingdevice 8, a mechanism 9 is placed, which is used for kicking orinitiating the derrick collapsing at the beginning of the loweringoperation and for dampening the shock at the end of the derrick raisingoperation.

The upper end of each element 3 terminates in a pivot joint 10 Whichjoins the columns 1 to a water table having beams 11 on which usuallycommon type crown blocks are placed.

A mechanism 13 composed of an even number of gears 14, permanentlyengaged together, is placed in the crown block water table beams 11,ensuring the derrick assembly stability during movements and having alsothe role to maintain the crown block frame 11 horizontal during derrickraising or lowering. Thus, a pair of gears are respectively connected tothe upper ends of the columns 3, at their joints 10, for turningmovement with the columns 3, and the latter gears mesh with the seriesof gears 14 which are permanently in mesh with each other, the totalnumber of gears being even, so that in this way an equalizing means isprovided for compelling the column sections 3 to turn, with respect to ahorizontal plane which includes the axes of all of the gears 14, byequal and opposite angles while maintaining the latter plane horizontalat all times.

On each of the two derrick columns, at a certain distance below thewater table there are mounted the arms 15, provided with an automaticlatch 16 at their ends, which are coupled together at the end of thederrick raising operation, and which maintain the derrick shape in casethe overhauling of the crown block frame is necessary.

The derrick is provided with a racking platform 17, which can havedifferent shapes and can be placed at many levels and heights. Theplatform is provided with guards and windbreaks 18.

The racking platform can be raised with the derrick or pulled upseparately by means of the rig travelling block.

The derrick is provided with all the necessary acces- I sories, annexes,stairs, light installation, etc. which are not shown in the drawings.

Inside the derrick, a substructure 19 can be mounted,

necessary for supporting the rotary table and other'drilling equipment.The substructure is independent of the derrick, so that the derrick maybe used with any type of drilling rig.

The characteristic movement which accompanies the derrick raising andlowering is performed equally and oppositely on the pair of columns 1with respect to a vertical plane of symmetry situated midwaytherebetween and is realized, in a first variant, by means of a cableand pulley or block and tackle system, as shown in FIG. 3. This systemis constituted of a set of pulleys or sheaves 20, tied to the derrickcolumns 1 at joints 7, and a second set of sheaves 21 which is tied to amounting trestle 22 placed in the derrick base center.

The rest of sheaves 21 is attached to the top of mounting trestle 22.

The blocks system is actuated by a wire line 23, which is pulled by atractor, hoist or other corresponding device: When the raising stroke ofthe derrick is ended, the locking device 8 is actuated, in connectionwith the starting and shock absorbing device 9 and latch 16.

When the derrick is lowered, the latches 8 and 16 are unlatched, and thecollapsing is started by means of kicking and shock absorbing mechanism9, the derrick lowering continuing under the derricks own weight, themovement being controlled by unreeling the wire line 23. The same cableand pulley system can be used for many derricks.

In case of the variant in which the vertical movement is accomplished bymeans of hydraulic jacks, the raisinglowering principle is maintained,the derrick having other corresponding elements for attaching therespective hydraulic devices also.

The hydraulic jack assembly includes two main pushers 24 (FIG. 4) havingone end on the derrick support 6 and another placed about half way upthe column element 2. These main pushers 24 are instrumental in raisingthe derrick and, at the same time act as a hydraulic brake when thederrick is lowered.

On each column between the lower element 2 and upper element 3, asecondary hydraulic jack 25 is placed, which serves to kick or initiatethe derrick raising, and to brake the collapsing movement at the end ofderrick lowering operation. Another secondary hydraulic jack 26 isplaced in each of the joints between column elements 2 and 3articulation points, toward the outside, having only the role of kickingor initiating the derrick collapsing during the lowering operation andworking as a hydraulic brake during the final phase of raising, so thatthe automatic locking devices 8 have a smooth action.

At the upper ends of derrick columns 1, toward the points of pivotalconnection with the water table 11, a secondary hydraulic jack 27 isplaced in each joint, having the role to kick or initiate derrickcollapsing during the lowering operation, and acting as hydraulic brakesat the end of raising operation.

A mounting trestle 28, which can be placed either on the derricksubstructure, or on its own skids, and having a corresponding height, isused for supporting the derrick in collapsed position, and can beprovided with a hydraulic jack 29 also, for helping to kick the derrickraising.

During the derrick raising operation, the main hydraulic jacks 24 andthe secondary hydraulic jacks 25 operate simultaneously, or, in case themounting trestle 28 is provided with a secondary hydraulic jack 29 also,the latter starts working also.

The main raising effort is taken up by the main hydraulic jacks 24, andthe secondary hydraulic jacks are used only for kicking the raising, inorder to overcome the inertia due to derrick weight, thus working onlyfor a limited distance.

The secondary hydraulic jacks 26 and 27 start working at the end of thederrick raising stroke as hydraulic brakes, allowing the automaticlocking devices 8 to start working smoothly.

When the derrick is lowered, the secondary hydraulic jacks 26 and 27 arethe first which begin to work, kicking the derrick collapsing mechanism,and then the main hydraulic jacks 24 take the load, working as ahydraulic brake.

At the end of the derrick collapsing operation, the secondary hydraulicjacks 25 and 29 operate also, at this time as hydraulic brakes, allowinga smooth depositing of the derrick on the supports.

The derrick, according to the invention, presents the followingadvantages:

It can be used with any type of drilling rig which has the correspondingload capacity.

It is independent of the well substructure.

It has its own safe support and does not need supplementary resistanceguiding.

The derrick can be rigged up either by using the rig assemblies or byusing other independent assemblies, so that the derrick is independentof the drilling rig elements.

What is claimed is:

1. In a collapsible derrick for drilling operations and the like, a pairof identical columns symmetrically situated with respect to a verticalplane of symmetry situated midway between the columns, said columns eachhaving upper and lower ends and including upper and lower columnelements pivotally connected to each other substantially midway betweenthe upper and lower ends of each column so that the columns can becollapsed and raised by turning movement of the column elements withrespect to each other at the connection therebetween, a table having anelongated portion extending .between and connected to the upper ends ofthe columns for spacing said upper ends of said columns from each other,raising and lowering means operatively connected to the columns forraising and collapsing the same, and equalizing means extending alongsaid table in the space between and connected to the upper ends of thecolumns for maintaining the table which extends therebetween horizontalduring raising and collapsing of the columns, said equalizing meansincluding an even number of gears which extend between and areoperatively connected with the upper ends of the columns and which arepermanently in mesh with each other, said gears including a pair of endgears, respectively situated at said upper ends of said columns and aplurality of additional gears situated between said end gears.

2. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said raising and loweringmeans includes a cable and pulley system which is made up at least inpart of a support situated at the bottom of the plane of symmetrybetween the columns, a first set of pulleys connected with the jointsbetween the elements of each column, a second set of pulleys connectedto the support, and a wire cable cooperating with said pulleys andadapted to be pulled or let out from a location distant from the columnsto respectively raise and collapse the columns.

3. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said raising and loweringmeans includes a system of hydraulic jacks which is made up at least inpart of two main hydraulic jacks connected with a base of the column andwith the lower column elements substantially midway between their ends,respectively, for raising the columns and for acting as brakes duringcollapsing operations, secondary hydraulic jacks respectively connectedwith the column elements at the joints therebetween to initiate raisingoperations and to brake movement at the end-of a collapsing operation,additional secondary hydraulic jacks connected to the column elements atthe region of their joints for initiating collapsing operations and toact as brakes at the end of a raising operation, and hydraulic jacksoperatively connected with the upper ends of the columns, respectively,and the table at the region of the connections therebetween forinitiating collapsing operations and to act as brakes at the end ofraising operations.

(References on following page) 5 6 References Cited 2,920,871 1/1960Kolodin 254-126 X UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,109,523 11/1963 Moller 52-1151, 59,993 5 193z sessions 254 FRANK ABBOTT, Primary Examiner- 2,556,9486/1951 Somrnarstrom 254-139 5 P. C. FAW, Assistant Examiner. 2,581,7061/1952 Rumback 254-126 2,804,949 9/1957 Woo1s1ayereta1.- 52 121 X2,903,896 9/1959 Greene 187-18 X 254-139.1; 52-117

1. IN A COLLAPSIBLE DERRICK FOR DRILLING OPERATIONS AND THE LIKE, A PAIROF IDENTICAL COLUMNS SYMMETRICALLY SITUATED WITH RESPECT TO A VERTICALPLANE OF SYMMETRY SITUATED MIDWAY BETWEEN THE COLUMNS, SAID COLUMNS EACHHAVING UPPER AND LOWER ENDS AND INCLUDING UPPER AND LOWER COLUMNELEMENTS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER SUBSTANTIALLY MIDWAY BETWEENTHE UPPER AND LOWER ENDS OF EACH COLUMN SO THAT THE COLUMNS CAN BECOLLAPSED AND RAISED BY TURNING MOVEMENT OF THE COLUMN ELEMENTS WITHRESPECT TO EACH OTHER AT THE CONNECTION THEREBETWEEN, A TABLE HAVING ANELONGATED PORTION EXTENDING BETWEEN AND CONNECTED TO THE UPPER ENDS OFTHE COLUMNS FOR SPACING SAID UPPER ENDS OF SAID COLUMNS FROM EACH OTHER,RAISING AND LOWERING MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE COLUMNS FORRAISING AND COLLAPSING THE SAME, AND EQUALIZING MEANS EXTENDING ALONGSAID TABLE IN THE SPACE BETWEEN AND CONNECTED TO THE UPPER ENDS OF THECOLUMNS FOR MAINTAINING THE TABLE WHICH EXTENDS THEREBETWEEN HORIZONTALDURING RAISING AND COLLAPSING OF THE COLUMNS, SAID EQUALIZING MEANSINCLUDING AN EVEN NUMBER OF GEARS WHICH EXTEND BETWEEN AND AREOPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH THE UPPER ENDS OF THE COLUMNS AND WHICH AREPERMANENTLY IN MESH WITH EACH OTHER, SAID GEARS INCLUDING A PAIR OF ENDGEARS, RESPECTIVELY SITUATED AT SAID UPPER ENDS OF SAID COLUMNS AND APLURALITY OF ADDITIONAL GEARS SITUATED BETWEEN SAID END GEARS.